Electronic music instruments including keys, strings or other input devices and synthesizer systems for converting the user input into electrical signals and producing music and other acoustic signals in response to the electrical signals are well known. The instruments, which are typically patterned after traditional instruments, take many forms such as electronic keyboards, electronic guitars, electronic drums and the like.
The main component of an electronic keyboard is a bank of keys which resemble the keys of a piano. The keyboard also typically includes a number of buttons for selecting various options and sliders and/or wheels which may be used to control various parameters of the sound produced by the synthesizer. The keys are used to generate two different signals--a MIDI note-on event when the key is pressed which sends a note and velocity data pair to the synthesizer and a MIDI note-off event when the key is released. The keys provide only limited control over other parameters such as timbre, pitch and tone quality, the control being restricted to altertouch signals produced by the application of additional pressure on a depressed key. The aftertouch signal can occur per-note or across all notes, but can only occur when at least one key is depressed and must be linked to the note number of the active keys. Instead, some degree of control over the other parameters is provided by separately operating the sliders or wheels of the keyboard. However, even when slides or wheels are used, the amount of user control over the resulting sound parameters is considerably less than the control experienced with traditional instruments. Moreover, the number of slides, buttons and keys which can be simultaneously manipulated by the user is limited, restricting the number of different parameters which may be controlled at any instant through the use of wheels or slides. Simultaneously actuating the selected keys and manipulating the sliders or wheels can be awkward and difficult, further reducing the realism of the experience.
Electric and electronic guitars typically include strings which are actuated by the user to generate notes. Knobs or other controls are provided to control volume and tone. As with the electronic keyboard, the amount of control provided over various sound parameters is limited.
Electronic percussion instruments typically include one or more drum pads which are struck using traditional drum techniques. Sensors detect the force of impact with the generated signals being used by the synthesizer to produce the sound. Some later versions include sensors which also detect the location of contact, with contact in different zones of the drum pad producing different sounds. Thus, considerable control is provided over the resulting percussion sounds. However, the number of parameters which contribute to the sound of percussion instruments is more limited than the variable sound parameters of keyboards and string and wind instruments.
One new type of music synthesizer uses digital physical modeling to produce the sound, providing more sonic realism. An example of such a synthesizer is the Yamaha VLI-M Virtual Tone Generator (Yamaha and VLI are trademarks of Yamaha). In addition to improved sonic realism, greater parametric control over the resulting sound is available with the digital physical modeling system. However, the limitations of the existing electronic instruments in receiving user input prevent the user from taking advantage of the increased amount of control which is available with the new synthesizer.
An electronic instrument which allows the user to create and/or control sounds while simultaneously and continuously modifying many of a music synthesizer's parameters is desirable. An instrument which takes advantage of the greater flexibility over parameter control offered by devices such as a digital physical modeling synthesizer or a sophisticated sound processor is also desirable. Similarly, an electronic instrument which simulates the realistic music experience of traditional music instruments is desirable.